As I read Chapter Four on TF/TL Standard IV: Assessment and Evaluation, I couldn’t help but compare and reflect on the experiences I have had in both my previous district (SWISD) and my current district (SAISD.) As a Campus Instructional Technologist (CIT) in my previous district, I was privileged to have been able to introduce and train my staff on how to utilize and integrate various assessment and evaluation tools.
Some of the resources we utilized were eInstruction’s Student Response Systems with Exam View, which allowed teachers to “deliver more interactive lessons that promoted greater student involvement, achievement, progress and most importantly, allowed teachers to capture real-time assessment data so they could instantly identify individual learning needs and alter instruction as needed” (eInstruction, 2010).
Other resources and programs were Study Island (which provided web-based instruction, practice, assessment and reporting based on our state standards); A+nyWhere Learning System (online courseware K-12 aligned with national and state standards that allows educators to meet accountability requirements and personalize a course of study to meet individual student needs); Eduphoria’s Aware (used primarily for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting all Benchmark and Standardized Assessment data, or in short our data management system); and United Streaming’s Progress Zone (allows teachers to create, share, and administer custom diagnostic probes).
The amount and level of integration that took place in SWISD, within the five year period that it chose to support a Campus Instructional Technologist position on every campus, was so exciting and a privilege to be a part of. One of the areas I feel we really began to show significant improvement was in Assessment and Evaluation. Aside from being able to purchase, utilize, and implement such a variety of resources, the district really pushed to provide ongoing professional development through the assigned CITs and Academic Coaches (one assigned to each campus as well.)
As the CIT, I was able to provide consistently scheduled small group trainings, (usually by grade levels), that I purposefully designed to accommodate various learning styles, which basically meant that when applicable, I created informative handouts, required teachers to work and participate on their laptops, provided visual demonstrations, modeled, and always encouraged questions and feedback.
In the district I am currently employed, SAISD, the story is much different. I have only been in the district for five months, but it has been long enough to know that it is very limited in the area of systemic use of any of these types of resources. With the exception of Eduphoria’s Aware program, I would go so far as to say (or hope) that there are probably a few campuses (out of our 97) that utilize some of the above mentioned programs and/or others like them, but overall we are very limited in resources that are aimed at supporting assessment and evaluation district wide.
As far as an assessment resource is concerned, I have only dealt with and trained on two, Eduphoria’s Appraise and Hot Potatoes. Appraise is an online program just implemented two weeks ago, and will be used as our district’s employee appraisal system. Hot Potatoes is an online program that allows for easy creation of various types of quizzes and tests. Once an assessment is created, it can easily be uploaded into Moodle (an open source course management system), which then allows students to take an online quiz or test. It is then graded and allows for instant feedback to both teacher and student. For the teachers in our district that have a Moodle site, Hot Potatoes is a valuable resource.
As for standardized assessment information we are able to access the data via iTCCS (a comprehensive internet-based Texas Computer Cooperative Software solution with applications for business, human resources, student services, and PEIMS.) As for the technology literacy assessment of our 8th graders, SAISD has developed their own and reports it annually. Even though “local assessment programs are acceptable under NCLB guidelines, these home-grown efforts often do not produce high-quality assessment results that are comparable across school districts” (Williamson & Redish, 2005, p. 81).
As a district level Technology Integration Facilitator it is my job to know and train on such programs, and in the time I have been employed I have not been made aware of any others. This is such an alarming realization. I am not exactly sure why this is, but I can only assume that it would have to do with the size of our district (13 largest in Texas), lack of funds, and that we are an extremely technology poor district.
It was not until I was reading chapter four and reflecting on the information, that I realized how uninformed I am on the topic of assessment and evaluation (as it relates to what SAISD has in place,) or either just how ill equipped the district is in handling assessment and evaluation. Whichever the answer may be, it is clear to me that I need to do further inquiry into this area as it relates to my position.
Williamson, J & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Some of the resources we utilized were eInstruction’s Student Response Systems with Exam View, which allowed teachers to “deliver more interactive lessons that promoted greater student involvement, achievement, progress and most importantly, allowed teachers to capture real-time assessment data so they could instantly identify individual learning needs and alter instruction as needed” (eInstruction, 2010).
Other resources and programs were Study Island (which provided web-based instruction, practice, assessment and reporting based on our state standards); A+nyWhere Learning System (online courseware K-12 aligned with national and state standards that allows educators to meet accountability requirements and personalize a course of study to meet individual student needs); Eduphoria’s Aware (used primarily for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting all Benchmark and Standardized Assessment data, or in short our data management system); and United Streaming’s Progress Zone (allows teachers to create, share, and administer custom diagnostic probes).
The amount and level of integration that took place in SWISD, within the five year period that it chose to support a Campus Instructional Technologist position on every campus, was so exciting and a privilege to be a part of. One of the areas I feel we really began to show significant improvement was in Assessment and Evaluation. Aside from being able to purchase, utilize, and implement such a variety of resources, the district really pushed to provide ongoing professional development through the assigned CITs and Academic Coaches (one assigned to each campus as well.)
As the CIT, I was able to provide consistently scheduled small group trainings, (usually by grade levels), that I purposefully designed to accommodate various learning styles, which basically meant that when applicable, I created informative handouts, required teachers to work and participate on their laptops, provided visual demonstrations, modeled, and always encouraged questions and feedback.
In the district I am currently employed, SAISD, the story is much different. I have only been in the district for five months, but it has been long enough to know that it is very limited in the area of systemic use of any of these types of resources. With the exception of Eduphoria’s Aware program, I would go so far as to say (or hope) that there are probably a few campuses (out of our 97) that utilize some of the above mentioned programs and/or others like them, but overall we are very limited in resources that are aimed at supporting assessment and evaluation district wide.
As far as an assessment resource is concerned, I have only dealt with and trained on two, Eduphoria’s Appraise and Hot Potatoes. Appraise is an online program just implemented two weeks ago, and will be used as our district’s employee appraisal system. Hot Potatoes is an online program that allows for easy creation of various types of quizzes and tests. Once an assessment is created, it can easily be uploaded into Moodle (an open source course management system), which then allows students to take an online quiz or test. It is then graded and allows for instant feedback to both teacher and student. For the teachers in our district that have a Moodle site, Hot Potatoes is a valuable resource.
As for standardized assessment information we are able to access the data via iTCCS (a comprehensive internet-based Texas Computer Cooperative Software solution with applications for business, human resources, student services, and PEIMS.) As for the technology literacy assessment of our 8th graders, SAISD has developed their own and reports it annually. Even though “local assessment programs are acceptable under NCLB guidelines, these home-grown efforts often do not produce high-quality assessment results that are comparable across school districts” (Williamson & Redish, 2005, p. 81).
As a district level Technology Integration Facilitator it is my job to know and train on such programs, and in the time I have been employed I have not been made aware of any others. This is such an alarming realization. I am not exactly sure why this is, but I can only assume that it would have to do with the size of our district (13 largest in Texas), lack of funds, and that we are an extremely technology poor district.
It was not until I was reading chapter four and reflecting on the information, that I realized how uninformed I am on the topic of assessment and evaluation (as it relates to what SAISD has in place,) or either just how ill equipped the district is in handling assessment and evaluation. Whichever the answer may be, it is clear to me that I need to do further inquiry into this area as it relates to my position.
References
A+ American Education Corporation. A+nyWhere Learning Systems. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.amered.com/awl_products.php
eInstruction Corporation. Student Response Systems. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.einstruction.com/products/student-response-systems
Moodle. About Us. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://moodle.org/about/
Texas Computer Cooperative. iTCCS. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://portal.esc20.net/portal/page/portal/TCC/iTCCS
Williamson, J & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.